Rotary washing machine



April 17, 1951 c, EGERTON 2,549,677

ROTARY WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l Snucnhq, GZILZLBQWZOZL April 17, 1951 c. F. EGERTON 295499577 ROTARY WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 15. 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I U. fllzqewiaiz April 17, 19531 C. F. EGERTON ROTARY WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 avwento'a Patented Apr. 17, 1 95 1 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE ROTARY WASHING MACHINE Clinton Frank.EgertonQNevv'York, N. Ye App1icationDJanuary15, 1947, SerialN 0. 722 239 4' Claims.

. I v -This invention relates to washing machines of therotary type, and more-particularly, to a rotary washing machine designed for attachment to a sink, laundry tub, or the like. 7

The primary object of theinvention is to 'provide a washing machine of this type which may be mounted in a deep-welled sink or laundrytub, and which will effectively wash either fa bric ma terials or dishes, pans-and similar articles It is afurther important object of the invention to providea machine of this type which will both Wash and rinse dishes or clothes, and which will beadditionally operableas a drier of clothes after'morefully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a transverse sectional view through a sink in which a rotary washing machine constructed in accordance with the invention is mounted, in which adapter and power means mounted below the sink-are shown in elevation, an impeller mounted in the sink compartment appears in elevation with-parts broken away, and a dish rack attachment is shown partly in section.

Figure 2 is a verticalsectional view through the device, with dish rack attachment, mounted in a sink.

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the impeller embodied in the invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective-view of the adapter embodied in the invention.

Figure 5 is a perspectiveview of the valve means embodied in the invention.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of drive means embodied in the invention.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of valve an power control means. i

. 2 Figure 8 is; avertical sectional view of 'a clothes rack attachment, mountedon the impeller.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the character refervenoe umeral 5 designates the sink compartment of a standard type of deep-welled domestic laundryor kitchen sink, in which my rotary type washing machine isadapted to be mounted. f

In the bottom of the sink compartment-5 is seated acircular stationary supporting plate ,6 having aconcentric opening I, the plate being provided with a fiat peripheral supporting edge or flange .8, and being slightly arched between efl ge a op n ng ddtienal y. th upp ine 611s p ded-Wit a plural t of large openings 8 through which water ,isdrained off afteruse of the washer.

To the supportingplate 6- and around the open-' ing .1 is secured the ballbearing ,9 carrying the rotatable impelleigz which I have designated .generally by the character reference numeral jli). The impeller H3 isintegrally formed, with an axially disposed shaft I i that is open at its upper end, and has a cylindrical-bore, that terminates adjacent the base I2of theshaft, providingan overflow drain. The base [2: is ;ofsolideformation',

of reduced circumference, and is externally v threaded. Atnthe lower end of the bore is-provided the overflow drain-opening l3, of which there may be-oneor more, asdesired.

As maybe seen by reference to .Figure 2,. the impeller lilis ,mountedgso as to extend -par.tly above andpartly below the bottom of the sink compartment 5, the outer wall of the shaft ;Il having an annularshoulder i4 that supports the impeller; l t jor, ro ation upon the bearing; 9.

.Integ-ral: with the shaft l-' I are, blades or -,vanes' i5 that are also integrahwith ;the. annular impeller ring I6, being extended outwardly from the shaft to the ring it; ls-may be clearly seen by reference to Figure 3, each blade I5 issubstantially scoop-shaped, being formed with deep-curved upper andlowerledges that extend between the shaft II and ring l6, and with a shallow-cupped blade surface between its upper and lower edges; the upper. edge being positionedrearward of the lower, edge, when -considering the The lower portion of the shaft rotate in an adapter, which I have designated generally by the character reference numeral 2|], that is mounted against the underside of the bottom of the sink compartment 5. The adapter 20 may be cast integral, with a substantially cylindrical recess 2| having a flat relatively wide upper end edge 22, and a centrally disposed up-standing sleeve portion 23, that is tapering in form, and is provided with a plurality of spaced vertical ribs 24.

As may be seen by reference to Figure 4, the sleeve portion 23 extends above the upper end edge 22, this construction being used so that the sleeve portion may be projected upwardly through the drain orifice of the sink compartment 5. The adapter 2|] is provided throughout with a bore 25 that is made concentric with the drain orifice of the sink compartment by the centering effect of the tapered sleeve portion 23 in being positioned through the drain orifice.

The adapter 2|] is further formed with a main drain opening 26 in the bottom of the recess 2| that communicates with a chamber 21, there being an exterior opening 28 in the sid wall of the adapter that also communicates with the chamber, and into which is threaded the upper end of a drain pipe 29. An interiorly disposed overflow drain openin 29' into the chamber 21 is also provided in the adapter, and communicates between the chamber 21 and the overflow drain openings |3 of the shaft As may be clearly seen by reference to Figure 2, the bottom of the recess 2| is formed with a relatively shallow annular groove 30 that accommodates for slidable rotation an annular valve closure 3 I. Leaf springs 32 have one end secured to the upper surface of the valve closure 3| and have their other ends inclined upwardly so as to engage the underside of the bottom of the sink compartment 5, thereby exerting downward pressure on the valve closure 3|, so as to hold it snugly in its groove 3|].

Having one end secured to the valve closure 3| is a flexible operating rod 33 that is extended through an opening in the wall of the recess 2|, the other end being connected to an arm 34 that is operable by a handle 35 mounted on a panel 36 in the wall of the sink cabinet.

A length of tubing 31 has one end fixedly attached to a suitable bracket on the panel 36, the other end being fixedly attached to the adapter 20, and the rod 33 is slidable through the tubing.

When it is desired to drain off the water in the sink, semi-rotation of the handle 35 in one direction causes the rod 33 to slidably move the valve closure 3| in the groove 38, causing the valve opening 38 in the valve closure to register with the main drain opening 26 of the adapter, as may be clearly seen by reference to Figure 2. Semi-rotation of the handle 35 in an opposite direction results in closing of the main drain opening 26.

In mounting the washer in a sink, the sleeve portion 23 of the adapter 20 is extended upwardly through the drain orifice of the sink compartment, the upper edge of the sleeve portion abutting against the plate B. Spacers 39 on the plate G-that are disposed around the opening 1 of the plate engage the sleeve portion 23 between the ribs 24, thereby more firmly holding the plate in its stationary position.

The shaft ll of the impeller I0 is then positioned through the bore 25 of the adapter 20,

the threaded lower end l2 of the shaft projecting below the adapter. A pulley 40 having an interiorly threaded axially disposed opening is threaded onto the lower end l2, and is provided with an annular flange 4| to which is secured a ballbearing 42 that bears in a suitable recess at the lower end of the adapter.

Threading of the pulley 40 onto the lower end I2 of the shaft II will result in the adapter 20 being forced into. tight engagement with the underside of the sink, there being provided a suitable annular gasket 43 that is interposed between the upper end edge 22 of the adapter and the bottom surface of the sink. The effect of threading together the impeller shaft II and pulley 40 thus clamps the entire device securely in position.

From an electrical motor 44, that is operable by a switch 45 on the panel 36, and which may be secured to a vertical supporting surface 46 such as a wall, rotary movement is transmitted to the impeller H! by means of a belt 4'! passing around the pulley 48 on the motor and around the pulley 4|] threaded onto the shaft A roller 48 that is mounted on the adapter prevents the torque of the power means from twisting the adapter or plate 6 during operation. In mounting the device, the adapter is positioned so that the roller 48' will take the slack out of the belt 41. 1

My device is further provided with a stationary dish rack that is proportioned to fit over the impeller ID but which is at no point in contact with the impeller. This rack is freely perforated throughout, as at 49, so that water may freely circulate therethrough, and has ribs or projections 58 that are adapted to retain dishes and the like in an efficient arrangement for washing.

By referring to Figure 8, it will be seen that alternative to the dish rack, a clothes rack is also provided, that has a hollow tapered hexagonal dome portion 5| that engages upper end portion IQ of the impeller, this being the only portion of the clothes rack that is engaged. By reason of this construction, the clothes rack is rotatable with the impeller Ill. The clothes rack is also provided with a plurality of large perforations 52 through which water may freely circulate, and with a cylindrical clothes-retaining side wall 53.

In operation of my device with the dish rack attachment, the rapidly rotating blades I5 are adapted to scoop up the water and to force it upwardly in a continual swirling motion through the perforations 49 of the rack, thereby effectively cleaning the dishes in a short time.

In washing clothes, the blades act similarly, and in addition, the clothes rack itself rotates with the blades as hereinbefore described, the combined action resulting in a swirling turbulent water motion that efiiciently dislodges the dirt.

To rinse, the water is drained off, by opening the valve as hereinbefore described. When this is done, the water drains through the openings 8 in the plate I, through the drain orifice of the sink (by passing through the openings formed by the ribs 24 between the edge of the sink drain orifice and wall of the sleeve portion 23) and through the registering valve and main drain openings 38 and 26 respectively. Clear water is then run into the sink, and the machine again started.

To damp-dry the clothes after rinsing, the rinse water is drained off, and the machine again started. This results in the clothes being whirled .5 rapidly in the clothes rack, the water in the fabric being drawn by centrifugal force through the perforations 52 in the side wall 53 of the rack. Concurrently, the air agitated by the whirling of the clothes has a cooperating drying effect.

During washing operations, it is understood that a cover may be provided over the sink. Further, it is pointed out that it is possible, if desired, to provide a detachable basin that may be fitted into the sink over the device when the device is not in use, in order to permit ordinary use of the sink.

What is claimed is:

l. A washing machine for mounting in a sink compartment including a circular stationary supporting plate provided with drain perforations, a rotatable impeller mounted above the supporting plate, the impeller comprising an axially disposed shaft of hollow formation, said shaft having spaced inlet and outlet openings communieating with the interior and exterior of the compartment respectively ,to provide an overflow drain, and a plurality of water-disturbing blades I integral with the shaft, a stationary adapter having a bore, the shaft being rotatable in said bore, the adapter being provided with a main drain communicatingwith the sink compartment,

a valve closure slidable over said drain, operating means for the valve closure, drive means operatively connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft, and a stationary dish rack mountable over the impeller and comprising a perforated housing proportioned to cover the sides and top portion of the impeller and wholly spaced from the impeller, said housing being formed'with a plurality of dish-engaging projections.

2. A washing machine for mounting in a sink compartment, including a circular stationary supporting plate elevated at its center and inclined downwardly towards the edge thereof, said supporting plate having drain openings, a rotatable impeller mounted above the supporting plate and including a vertical hollow shaft open at its upper end in communication with the interior of the compartment and open at its lower end in communication with the exterior of the compartment to provide a drain, impeller blades secured to the shaft, a dish supporting rack mounted above the rotatable impeller and housing said impeller, and ribs extending upwardly from the dish rack against which dishes are held, said rack having openings adjacent to the ribs whereby fluid from the impeller is forced upwardly between dishes supported on the rack.

3. A washing machine for mounting in a sink compartment, including a circular stationary supporting plate provided with drain perforations, a rotatable impeller mounted above the supporting plate, the impeller comprising an axially disposed shaft of hollow formation, said shaft having spaced inlet and outlet openings communicating with the interior and exterior of the compartment respectively to provide an overflow drain, a plurality of water-disturbing blades integral with the shaft, and a non-circular end portion on the shaft, a stationary adapter having a bore, the shaft being rotatable in said bore, the adapter being provided with a main drain communicating with the sink compartment, a valve closure slidable over said drain, operating means for the valve closure, drive means operatively connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft, and a clothes rack including a noncircular dome portion receiving the corresponding portion of the shaft for rotation of the rack with the shaft, a perforated bottom portion rigid with and surrounding said dome portion, said bottom portion overlying the impeller blades. and a perforated side wall rigid with and extending upwardly from the periphery of said bottom portion.

4. A washing machine for mounting in a sink compartment, including a circular stationary supporting plate elevated at its center and inclined downwardly towards the edge thereof, said supporting plate having drain openings, a rotatable impeller mounted above the supporting plate and including a vertical hollow shaft open at its upper end in communication with the interior of the compartment and open at its lower end in communication with the exterior of the compartment to provide a drain, impeller blades secured to the shaft, and a non-circular end portion of the shaft, a clothes rack mounted above the impeller and housing said impeller, said rack including a non-circular dome portion engageable with the non-circular portion of the impeller for rotation of the rack with the impeller, a perforated bottom portion rigid with and surrounding said dome portion, said bottom portion overlying the impeller blades, and a perforated side wall rigid with and extending upwardly from the periphery of said bottom portion, and drive means for the impeller.

' CLINTON FRANK EGERTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

